NHL Best Bets: Maple Leafs vs. Panthers Game Picks

The Florida Panthers are set on one of the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spots and will face the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight.

All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

The Florida Panthers are one of the hottest teams but have their work cut out against one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference tonight. The Panthers have a one-point buffer over the Pittsburgh Penguins for one of the final two wild card spots in the East, with each team having two games remaining. The Panthers are the favorite tonight at -150 on the moneyline, while the Maple Leafs are +125. 

Entering this contest, the Maple Leafs are 5-3-2 over their last ten games, while the Panthers have won six in a row, going 6-4.

Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the visiting Maple Leafs are expected to start Ilya Samsonov, while the Panthers should do the same with Alex Lyon. The Maple Leafs starting netminder has a 26-10-5 record with a .917 save percentage, while Lyon is 9-3-1 with a .914 save percentage. Even though Lyon is on a roll, it’s hard not to give Samsonov and the Maple Leafs an edge in the net.

The Panthers need to win this game more than the Leafs, but there’s a reason why Toronto’s won two of three games over Florida this season. Toronto’s priced in plus-money territory and has too much value to avoid.

Best Bet: Maple Leafs moneyline (+125) 

The previous three games between the two saw nine, eight, and five total goals scored. The total for tonight is set at 6.5, with the over at -150 and the under at +122. The Maple Leafs and Panthers reside in the top seven in goals scored per game. Over the Maple Leafs’ last five games, they’ve seen seven or more goals scored in two, while the Panthers have seen that in three. With recent trends and their season series results, it’s hard not to take the over 6.5 at -150. 

Best Bet: Over 6.5 (-150) 

There’s a lot of offensive talent in this contest, with several goal-scorers holding value. The Maple Leafs have a lot of offensive stars, including Auston Matthews. He’s not leading the NHL in goals in 2023, but he’s one shy of the 40-goal plateau. It’s not often you get a +100 price tag on Matthews to score, but that’s the case tonight, and it’s a number we feel confident backing. 

Best Prop: Auston Matthews to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+100)